047
047
"Hic, hic."
The Inspector wept for a long time. Sitting opposite, Divine Spear grew anxious, afraid of how it might look.
"What's so sad?"
"Senior, it's simply too tragic. To think something like this could happen between Sword Demon and Taoist Hyeongi."
The Inspector had heard directly from Taoist Hyeongi about the decades-old grudge between him and his attacker. Though the Inspector had been somewhat rigid during the investigation, once back at their lodging and sorting through the materials, the tears came freely.
"Knowing he stood no chance, he still wanted to face the man who killed his younger sister before he died. Hic."
"Actually, far from killing the younger sister, he took her as his wife and cared for her well. That Sword Demon bastard, meanwhile, was stricken with smallpox and never once thought about a cure—instead he spread the plague through Wudang."
Sword Demon (劍魔).
One of the Ten Demons of Tianshan and a member of the Wild Three Demons, who belonged to neither the Eldest Prince nor the Little Princess. His martial prowess was estimated to range between the Harmony Realm and the Profound Realm.
But no matter how powerful a martial artist, a man cannot defeat an infectious disease. Stricken with smallpox, he was utterly helpless, bedridden, and could only quietly wait for the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill to arrive.
"The Little Princess secured the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill from the Divine Doctor, and custody of it was entrusted to the Chuso Escort Agency. But the young clan head of the Chuso Escort Agency, blind with love, handed the pill over to the Paeng Clan. Thanks to that, Sword Demon lost any hope of mending his wounds, and just before his death, someone fed him false information."
"The Demonic Cult's Eldest Prince, Black Flame Dragon."
"A man no longer counted among the Nine Dragons. He goaded Sword Demon into believing the Wudang Sect Leader had killed his sister."
This was a refined sort of malice.
Taoist Hyeongi had not killed Sword Demon's sister; he saved her. He concealed that she was a Demon and made her his wife. For a brief time she shared love with Taoist Hyeongi, then left the world.
Twisting that truth into "Taoist Hyeongi let the sister die," and even ignoring the Heavenly Demon's direct order to wait for the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill, the mastermind who made Sword Demon burn through his final life force was none other than the Demonic Cult's Eldest Prince.
"This is why I can never warm up to those Demonic Cult bastards."
"Not long ago you were saying the White Path and Black Path are all just thugs."
"You can't put people who have common sense on the same level as bastards who ignore both decency and human morals, Senior."
The Inspector's eyes reddened as they dipped the brush in ink again.
"Hic, anyway, the mystery of the suddenly appearing Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill is solved. The pill prepared by the Demonic Cult for Sword Demon ended up in the Paeng Clan. Let's wrap it up with that."
"...Is it really all right to finish the report with this?"
"Is there another problem, Senior?"
"The Divine Doctor's disciple."
Flinch. The Inspector's hand, about to close the ledger, faltered.
"The Divine Doctor's disciple who appeared in Anhui turned out to be an impostor, but the one who appeared at the Hubei Province Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was confirmed to be genuine. Yet the physical descriptions of the two were similar. As if..."
"...he had grown over the course of ten months or so?"
"Yes."
The two fell deep in thought over the youth's description.
"Suppose he really was genuine. Then was the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill he claimed to have sold real? Or was it a fake, a swindle to line his pockets while staining his master's name?"
"Hard to say. Let me look through the records a bit. There should be testimony from that time... Hm?"
The Inspector scanned the incident log and tilted their head.
"Servants, local herb merchants, even courtesans all described him as someone who gathered and sold medicinal herbs from the nearby mountains... but oddly, the young lady of the Paeng Clan said not a single word about this youth."
"That can't be. Didn't Paeng Yuwol ask the youth whether the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill Chu So-gwang had was real or fake?"
"Did she...? It's almost as if... Paeng Yuwol deliberately concealed the youth's existence...?"
The Inspector and Divine Spear fell into confusion.
* * *
"...Therefore, the Flying Heaven Three Demons are most likely targeting Taiji Flower."
"From the Little Princess's perspective, there is no way to stop the three. She can't be sure of victory, and in case she herself loses, she wants to give Taiji Flower the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill so she can heal her wounds?"
"......."
The Little Princess hung her head low. Her ears had flushed red, and it was clear she knew she was acting shamelessly.
"Crocodile tears."
"Pardon?"
"I mean hypocrisy. Ultimately, aren't you giving Taiji Flower the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill just to ease your own conscience? To tell yourself you did all you could. To say you gave it your utmost, even if Taiji Flower ends up ravaged by the Flying Heaven Three Demons."
Crack. I ground the pestle into the teacup, teeth clenched. As the bowl trembled, I pinned it down with the pestle.
"Am I wrong?"
"......I won't deny it. Even if it's hypocrisy, I'll accept that. Do you have the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill?"
"If I have it, but don't sell it for money?"
"........"
The Little Princess's eyes sharpened. She had long since realized I'd been looking at her with lecherous eyes.
"No gold or silver needed. But having heard the situation, I can't just sit still either. If Taiji Flower is violated, do you think the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill can heal the wounds of the heart, even if it can mend the body?"
"The Divine Doctor is said to heal the patient's heart as well..."
"Namgung Yurin."
At that single phrase, the Little Princess closed her eyes. It was an act of suppressing her anger, and living proof that no counter-argument could refute my words.
"The tears she shed on that bed are my proof. The physician who treated her knows full well. Of course, Namgung Yurin herself was greatly at fault in that incident. But didn't the Little Princess also turn a blind eye to her violation by Blade Demon? If Taiji Flower is made to suffer the same, then even if I were given a fortune, could that comfort Taiji Flower?"
My words pricked her like an awl. The wielder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, who vies for First Peak and Second Peak and stands equal to any sect elder, felt needles pierce the weak point of her conscience.
"Allow me to ask you, Little Princess. Do you have the confidence to go through exactly what they went through? If I were to violate you, if I demanded your body in exchange for the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill, would you accept that deal?"
"......If."
The Little Princess opened her eyes wide. Her red pupils trembled with shame and anger, far from ordinary.
"If I should be defeated, and Taiji Flower's petals fall, then I shall submit to the Divine Doctor's deal."
"Do you mean that?"
"The daughter of the Heavenly Demon does not speak with two tongues."
Her eyes were straight and upright. I stared at the Little Princess for a long while. Seeing her pretty face blaze with fierce resolve, the corners of my mouth curled upward on their own.
"Why, why are you smiling?"
"As for me, I am the Divine Doctor's disciple, but I don't particularly think of myself as your master. Just because the Divine Doctor was kidnapped by the Demonic Cult is no reason for me to hold a grudge against the cult. Though I do run around scared, in case they try to kidnap me too."
"......What?"
Her eyes turned into ones that seemed to say, "What nonsense is this?" I opened a drawer below and took out a wooden cask.
"Let's just say I'm placing a debt on the Demonic Cult's Little Princess. I'll arrange for the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill to be used for Taiji Flower."
"...I thank you for the transaction, Physician Mubung."
The Little Princess rose from her seat and bowed her waist to me. I inclined my head in return for the greeting.
"Let us hope there is no need to use the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill on Taiji Flower."
"I shall ensure it, Physician."
She would defeat Taiji Flower Gyeon-hui and claim victory in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering's World's Greatest Phoenix decision match. Her eyes brimmed with faith and certainty in herself.
"But Physician, why did you so readily accept my deal?"
"I considered the past, the present, and the future. The compassion and mercy you once showed me."
"Pardon?"
As expected, even the clever Little Princess could not understand my words at all. I spread my arms with a wide grin, then formed a blade with my hand and drew it slowly across my throat.
"A woman who could kill me with a single slash did not treat me as a mere physician, but even bowed her head and waist to me. One transaction is not enough."
"......Ha."
The Little Princess gave me a rueful smile.
"Ha... if once is not enough... then, another deal... now."
Face flushed, the Little Princess watched my expression while fidgeting with her fingers.
"The moon is waxing, so I was wondering... do you perhaps have a good medicine?"
Splutter.
I spilled the tea I was drinking into the bowl.
* * *
After the Little Princess had left, I hastily yanked the chair back.
"Hey, hey, hey, I call you Gyeon-hui but you mustn't actually act like a real dog!!"
I smacked the head of Sagong Hee, who was looking up at me from underneath the desk. She was on the verge of tears yet still gazed at me as if feeling wronged.
"I thought we'd get caught...!"
"What does it matter if we get caught? If we do, I'll just subdue that wench and put her down on the bed."
I picked up the pestle and stirred the teacup. The same way I'd been grinding, I tugged Sagong Hee's head, letting her warm the 'pestle' dangling beneath my waist with her mouth.
"Hee, you were a huge help! Without you, I might have pounced on her then and there."
"On the Demonic Cult's Little Princess?"
"Yes. Why? Is the Little Princess not a woman? When you think about it, she's a flower as beautiful as you; there's no reason for me to refuse."
"Well, that's true."
The Little Princess was a beauty even Sagong Hee could concede.
If Sagong Hee, who can seem sullen at ordinary times, is like a large dog that becomes playful before its master, then the Little Princess, with her characteristic red eyes, had a somewhat sharp impression and a feline look with a petite build.
She was not like a cat in heat, hissing here and there, but rather like a night cat that walks with dignity as the ruler of her own domain.
'Her good heart makes her even more alluring.'
The age gap must be at least ten years or more, but thinking of the future her who mercifully gave me my first experience made me want to repay that favor over and over.
"But my lord, do you really have the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill? You said it was too bothersome to heal women and just did Rebirth Transformation on them."
"Of course I have it. I've piled up so many Heavenly Rejuvenation Pills I've lost count; I was simply too busy building up internal energy with you to go retrieve them."
So long as I had the ingredients, I could even make the Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill myself. However, I needed to create a situation where the pill could not be used right now, where it must not be used.
"Gyeon-hui, starting today I will always stay by your side. On days when you have your martial contest, I will come out to the arena and treat the martial artists."
"...Pardon?"
Sagong Hee pressed her hand to her mouth with a deeply moved expression.
"Truly? If you're in the arena, you might have to treat male warriors as well."
"Getting my hands dirty by touching bastards like that means nothing. Those fucking Flying Heaven Three Demons bastards. If I leave you alone, they'll dare try to violate you."
Demons aren't called Demons for nothing. Blade Demon already has a history of violating Namgung Yurin, and neither Illusion Demon nor the other is any different.
"I'd rather treat men's wounds than see you with another man, even if it kills me."
"My lord...!"
Sagong Hee flung herself at me and pressed her head against me. She deliberately bent over and nuzzled her face into my chest, and I patted her on the back.
"My little hand-play with injured women ends for the time being. Tomorrow during your match, don't worry about your opponent's legs; just seize victory by your own methods. You can knock their weapons away with a single sword-stroke, or force them out of the ring. I won't be having any fun with those wenches anyway."
"Oh my, then...?"
"I must build up your internal energy. So that even if those Demonic Cult bastards try some dirty trick, you can protect yourself until I reach you."
"Wouldn't that require learning more martial arts?"
"Huh."
I took Sagong Hee by the hand and led her to the bed.
"Gyeon-hui, you have already mastered all martial arts in your head. More precisely, you have memorized the formulas. If there were a walking secret manual of the Wudang Sect, it would be you."
"But I haven't fully realized all of them."
"Is that because your Five Stars are weak? No. It is your body, your very qi, that protects you. Because the moment you become able to use advanced martial arts, you would surely push yourself to extremes."
Sagong Hee's condition was similar to mine.
"You know how to use martial arts, and you even comprehend all the advanced forms in your head, yet you cannot use them. Do you know why? This is what's lacking. This."
I laid Sagong Hee flat and placed my hand on her lower dantian.
"Once your internal energy builds up enough, you too can reach the Harmony Realm and the Profound Realm. You will become the true Taiji Sword Empress."
"To what level?"
"...About four times what you have now?"
Since the former Taiji Sword Empress had roughly four gapja of internal energy, for Sagong Hee, who had barely exceeded one gapja, the road ahead was exceedingly long.
"Then it will take a tremendous amount of time."
"But don't you worry. Who do you have by your side?"
Crunch. I chewed on a slice of thousand-year fleeceflower root that I'd left beside the bed.
"Starting now, I will begin your internal energy training."
"There is nothing in the secret manuals in my head about training internal energy through dual cultivation, you know?"
Sagong Hee smiled and stretched her two arms out toward me. I pressed my lips to hers, and we mixed the fleeceflower root pieces between our tongues.
"Puh-ha. Gyeon-hui, what is your mind method?"
"The Taiji Divine Art."
"And right now, aren't we forming yin-yang union—the very taiji itself?"
"...If it's for training, then I have no choice."
Late at night.
The moon began to wax in the sky.